A-Z OF SKIN

Intrinsic ageing

As an individual ages, collagen production begins to slow, and elastin has a bit less spring. The production of oils and natural moisturizing factors reduces leading to dryness. Dead skin cells do not shed as quickly, and the turnover of new skin cells decreases; the skin becomes thinner and provides less support to its blood vessels. These changes usually begin in a person’s mid-20s, but the signs of intrinsic ageing are often not visible for some time.

Environmental factors can also contribute to intrinsic ageing.

Extrinsic ageing

Extrinsic ageing may be caused by several factors that age the skin prematurely.  These may include:

• Ultraviolet radiation: UV exposure from the sun is the main cause of skin ageing and is common on exposed areas such as the face, chest, arms, hands and legs. UV damages the elastin and collagen fibres in the skin, causing the skin to sag, wrinkle, stretch and become blotchy. Sun damage may not show in younger years, but it will later in life. Common signs of excessive UV exposure include freckles and age spots, facial spider veins, rough and leathery skin, thinning of the skin, wrinkles, loose skin, blotchy complexion, yellowing of the skin with thickened bumps (solar elastosis) , actinic keratosis and skin cancer.
• Smoking: Smoking accelerates ageing of the skin, as smokers are more likely to develop deeply wrinkled, leathery skin and an unhealthy yellowish sallow-hued complexion. Smoking may also increase the risk of skin cancers of the skin and lips and can accelerate the damage caused by sun exposure. Puckering the lips while smoking also increases the wrinkles around the mouth.
• Facial expressions: Repetitive facial movements can lead to fine lines and wrinkles. Each time a facial muscle is used, a groove forms beneath the surface of the skin, which results in the formation of lines. As skin ages and loses its elasticity, the skin stops springing back to its line-free state and these grooves become permanently etched on the face as fine lines and wrinkles.
• Gravity: Gravity constantly pulls on our bodies and changes to our body become more pronounced with age and our skin’s elasticity declines. Gravity causes the tip of the nose to droop, the ears to elongate, the eyelids to fall, jowls to form and the upper lip to disappear while the lower lip becomes more pronounced.
• Sleeping positions: Sleeping in the same position every night may lead to wrinkles on the face, where the head rests on the pillow.

• Diet: Nutrition is known to contribute to skin ageing. Higher fat, carbohydrate and sugar intake can contribute to ageing of the skin. Excessive alcohol consumption can also cause skin ageing.

 There are also several skin conditions that may occur more frequently in older age, but not directly related to aging. These may include:

• Pruritus
• Xerosis and asteatotic eczema
• Eczema (atopic dermatitis), such as, discoid dermatitis, gravitational dermatitis
• Seborrheic dermatitis
• Bullous disorders, such as bullous pemphigoid
• Psoriasis
• Leg ulcers
• Shingles and post-herpetic neuralgia
• Benign skin tumours, such as skin tags, seborrheic keratoses, solar lentigines, cherry haemangiomas, sebaceous glands overgrowths.